


On the run

by hitori10



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst, Betrayal, Character Death, Cheating, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Eventual Smut, F/M, Heartbreak, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Inappropriate Humor, M/M, Physical Abuse, Prostitution, Romance, Self-Harm, Smoking, Violence, inappropriate language
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-21
Updated: 2016-07-03
Packaged: 2018-03-25 04:17:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3796426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hitori10/pseuds/hitori10
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Guns are made for final decisions, not second guesses. You pull the trigger, there are no regrets. There's always something on the other end, receiving the bullet. You can either look firmly ahead as you take another man's life, or bite the dust. Only the trigger has the answer. Levi Ackerman learned this while he was on the run after murdering his best friend and wife for having an affair behind his back. Traveling through towns, meeting countless people who always had a story to tell over a glass of whiskey and a smoke, and that one shitty brat he met in some shitty town who just couldn't leave him the hell alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Suicidal_lover](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Suicidal_lover/gifts).



On the run.

Chapter 1

* * *

Guns are made for final decisions, not second guesses. You pull the trigger, there are no regrets. There's always something on the other end, receiving the bullet. You can either look firmly ahead as you take another man's life, or bite the dust. Only the trigger has the answer.

The smoke from a cigarette drifted along with the wind on a cold summer's night in some town Levi didn't bother to get the name of. He could faintly hearing glasses clinking together, old music from the twenties playing from a jukebox in a near bar, men and women laughing, and prostitutes persuading drunk men for a night of fun. The raven simply went back to the lit cigarette in his hand, taking another drag, gazing up as the pitch black sky.

Levi Ackerman used to be one of the most highly admirable men in all of France. His honesty, hard work, gentlemanly manners, degree in the medical profession, and a perfect wife to top it all off. Yes, he had everything a man could only ever wish for. His friend, Erwin, whom he had met back in college, was nothing but supportive and offered his voice of reason when Levi was conflicted with something. They call Levi mad, killed his wife and friend because of his anger and grief. He was just a possessive killer in disguise.

The raven had murdered his wife, Petra, and friend, Erwin, with his bare hands, or how they like to exaggerate, it was really a gun he used. Either way, it caused an enormous scandal. No one thought that such a man, one who had accomplished so much, had a fabulous reputation with every person he knew, not one of them, knew he was capable of this.

Erwin's wife, Hanji, another close friend of Levi's, said she couldn't blame him. Said the reason why she couldn't is because the man did what he felt was right. Levi was not a man to do things spontaneously, he just wasn't. The brunette said Petra and Erwin fully knew what they were doing, even when they were pleading Levi they didn't know what happened before they were shot dead. When she was asked if she would have killed them, she simply responded with:

_"We can't think about the what if's. We can only accept what's been done."_

Reporters left her alone after that. They clearly got the gist of it and knew she had nothing more to say. Levi on the other hand, was a running criminal, guilty of murder, and the charges only piled up the more he ran.

Levi made money by treating people on the way. He accepted anything really, clothing, food, cigarettes, a lighter, knife, and more ammo. He only carried a light bag over his shoulder. The raven had to sell his phone to make money, it was worth it, he got three thousand for it, tch, he could still bullshit like no tomorrow.

Hearing the crunch and cracks from the rocks and dirt under his boots with every step he took was a sound he's memorized by now. Constantly moving from place to place to seek peace, while it was only really a temporary thing. Levi thinks about turning himself in sometimes, thinking he would much rather be a jail cell than moving from one shitty town to another. But he always had a famous saying for this:

_"I don't know if that's the right decision, or if my voice of reason is completely gone. I'd like to believe with every word I say, and every step I take, there's a town or something there for me to rest. I'm not sure if my choices will ever hold hope for me. A running criminal like myself, has almost no hope for taking two lives, and struggling to keep mine going on. People along the road told me running is pointless, they'll find you and kill you they say. Well, so long as I can look ahead with my eyes, fight, sleep and see each day, I'll be damned if I give into those words."_

Tossing the butt of the cigarette to the ground, stomping it out with his heel, Levi glanced to the right, seeing the sign. "Trost, huh? Maybe I can rest there for a couple of days." The raven continued about his walk, it should at least take him three hours to get to Trost.

* * *

Levi checked into a near by hotel the moment he got into Trost. He set his things down and threw himself on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. The raven was only here for one reason; Nifa.

Nifa was a prostitute who knew many things, some that would get people in jail and others killed. This woman was someone who could easily ruin a person with a snap of her fingers.

The raven remembered how he met her. Nifa was some girl who lived in a slum, the same one that Levi himself lived in for years. The red head was selling herself to make money and pay off a debt that she had owed for years now. Nifa was a brilliant woman, she was a prostitute yes, but she would knock out her customers take whatever kind of money they had on them, and leave. There was something he wasn't quite sure of, how the hell did she constantly get all this information. He was going to find out how she did it, and he also needed some information himself.

* * *

Walking into a strip club brought back some memories for the raven. Drinking with his military friends, his now deceased father, and Erwin. Levi glanced around, looking for the red head. He saw a couple of familiar faces, and got hit on by women he knew only wanted to knock him out and steal everything he had. You know what they say, never trust a prostitute.

"My, my, I never thought I'd see you walk into a strip club again, Lance."

Levi turned around as he heard the familiar sultry voice. "Nifa."

The red head grinned, "So, you remember my name too? Well, goodness, aren't I lucky." She placed her slender hands on his shoulders delicately. "And what can I do for you, captain?"

"I need to have a word with you."

Nifa laughed softly, "Of course, Lance. Anything for you." She grabbed his hand and led him to her private room.

* * *

The woman let go of his hand the moment they walked into her room. She grabbed an over sized shirt and covered herself. "Now, Captain, what does a handsome man like you need information for?"

"I know you know everything about Nile. What's his most recent status as of late?"

Nifa tapped chin with his index finger, "And what do I get if I tell you?"

"What would you like?" He cautiously asked her.

"A night with you."

"And why the hell do you want that?"

"I've wanted a night with you for a long time, captain. You want the information, that's the price. Do we have a deal?"

"...I also need more information about myself. What are the most recent news about wanting me behind bars?"

"That will cost you more."

"What's the price for that one?"

"I want you to fuck me in three different positions."

Levi reluctantly agreed, "Fine."

The woman smiled, "Have a seat then. There's quite a lot." She sat down on her bed.

He sat down next to the red head.

"Now, about Nile, there's a lot about him. Apparently more of his so called drug stores have been busted. Erwin's former squad found it, found about half a million dollars in illegal products. He's trying to pin the blame on you for influencing him on joining that industry."

"Why the fuck would he try to blame me?"

"Because of your days in the military. He still hates you because you were the one who sold him out on all the things he did in the military. He wants to add to the list of your charges. He thinks this will make him appear more innocent to the public."

"Did it?"

"Not even in the slightest. The public doesn't believe him. They all know he was the only one behind everything in this entire progress, and they know that he would do anything to pin it on someone else."

"And what about my charges?"

"They keep piling up with each day you don't turn yourself in. You're looking about about thirty years in prison, Lance. Unless you can prove something about Erwin. Something I only know."

"And what would that something be?"

"Hmm, I would tell you, but you still need to add to the deal."

"What the hell do you want this time?"

She turned to her side, leaning over to him, "For the entire time that you're here in Trost, I want you in my bed every night."

"That's a tall order you're asking for, Nifa."

"Unless you want that information, that's what it'll cost."

"I have one more request of you then."

"That is?"

"I want to know where you get all your information."

"Oh, hmm, then I'll need something more."

"Name it."

The red head straddled his lap, arms around the raven's neck. "I want you whenever I want and however I want."

"Fine."

Nifa smiled, "Good. And where I get the information is so simple, no one ever knew or suspected a thing."

"Where?"

"Rico."

Levi's eyes widened, "Rico?"

"But of course. She's considered a complete genius. Not a single person would expect her to be selling information to anyone who wants it. You know everyone trusts her too much."

"Where is she now?"

"She's in Maria."

"Why that shitty town?"

"Why not? It's completely secluded and nobody ever goes there. If she needs a safe place, that would be it."

"Hmm, I suppose I can understand her thinking."

Nifa smiled, twirling a strand of hair with her index finger. "I thought you would have gone there immediately."

"I would have. But I also had this thing where I needed to sell a lot of my shit to get to where I am right now."

"And why would you sell them in previous towns? You could have gotten a lot more money if you sold it here. Electronics and jewelry are a fortune here."

"You know I always had three to four spare phones. And I only sold one to buy some things I needed. If I sell one here, I would get ten grand easily, possibly cheat that poor bastard out of more money. We'll see how things go."

"See? Now you're thinking."

"But why do you tell me all this and not let me find out on my own?"

Nifa grinned. "The reason I tell you what you can gain money wise is because I like you, Lance."

"How much money do you earn daily?"

"Let's see, if I 'pleasure'," She added the air quotes, "Some idiot bastard for an hour, three grand easily."

The raven's eyes widened slightly at the large sum of money. "How do you get so much?"

Nifa grinned. "I'm the favorite at the strip club."

"How much do you pay for your apartment?"

"Fifteen dollars a month."

"Why so little?"

"The landlord is in his late twenties, if I suck his dick for five minutes he's completely satisfied. He cums so quickly it feels more like ten seconds." She sighed, "Inexperienced virgins."

"Hey, at least you pay so little on rent."

"Lance, the guy doesn't even know how to put on a condom."

"That bad?"

"Honey, my fingers get me off faster than him."

"Is that why you want me to fuck you my entire stay here?"

Nifa nodded, leaning over, pressing her chest against the raven's firm one. "Exactly. I need a real man." She purred.

"You know, I've never been one to fuck a prostitute before, ever really. Not even in the military."

"Not even in those lonely months?"

"Not once."

"Oh," A small smirk on her face. "You had your dead wife here waiting for you before."

"Nifa." He spoke in a dangerous tone.

"Hey, hey, calm down there, captain." She sat on his lap. "I never once talked about your dead wife. Not once."

"Somehow I doubt that."

The woman sighed, "Look, Lance. I only heard you murdered your wife and friend after you found out about the affair. But." She glanced up at him, "I'd like to hear everything from your point of view."

Levi raised a brow. "Why?"

"The news is so over rated, love."

"Fine. But whatever I tell you never leaves this room."

"Honey, a lot of things in this room never leave. This is all safe here." She laughed softly at his nervous look, "But you're fine, love. You're too handsome to hoard for just myself. But, go ahead and start for me." The woman rubbed his chest soothingly.

Levi sighed, he'd never admit that the rubbing of his chest was indeed soothing. "I met Petra in a bar, she worked there part time to make ends meet since she was attending college. I'd barely finished boot camp and had three months to rest before we were to be sent out. Anyway, I was with Erwin at the bar with a couple buddies of ours. All of us thought we were the shit because we finished boot camp and were going to start out in the military. I aimed to be a captain and Erwin a commander. The two of us were having this conversation over some shots, not the smartest thing in the world."

The raven took the wine that the woman poured for him. He wrapped an arm around her waist, the other holds his wine glass. "We were planning to get absolutely hammered. I had a high alcohol tolerance, so I could have about twenty shots without feeling anything. So, I went to the head bar and ordered us some whiskey and scotch. Petra brought me the drinks, and instead on letting me go about my way, she stopped and asked me my name. I told her and she smiled, I didn't think I'd seen a more beautiful smile. I didn't end up getting drunk, I left Erwin with our buddies while I went to talk to her."

He took a drink of his wine, smiling. "I found out her name, she wanted to be an elementary teacher after she graduated college. She asked me what I did for a living. Petra teased me for a while about how she snagged a future captain in the military. She and I exchanged our numbers and split after that. Three weeks went by before I heard from her again, told me she had been working on a project for one of her education classes. She and I spent hours on the phone getting to know each other. Then three months came and went by fast, and I told her I had to leave for the military. I told her I would have to go to Germany, and if she was interested in a long distance relationship. I completely understood if she couldn't be. Petra told me she really liked me and wasn't willing to let me go. So, I invested in a computer to video chat with her when I could. I wrote her letters, whenever the internet connection was gone. She sent me pictures of the dates we'd been on, and what she wanted to do when I got off from leave."

Levi sighed softly, "I fell in love with her through our conversations, whether they were face to face, through a computer screen or paper, regardless I came to love her. When I was finished with my career in the military, I went into the medical profession and became a doctor, she helped me through the entire thing. After four years of dating, I asked her to marry me. She said yes, and we were married within a year. Petra and I always dreamed of having children. I remember those nights where we would lay in bed and talk about names for our children. She and I were celebrating our three year anniversary and I brought something special for her, I walked into our home and I heard something coming from our room. I thought that she was doing something and I went into our room, and saw Petra and Erwin having sex, in our bed, the one she and I spent so loving nights together. I grabbed the gun on the bedside table I always kept, they were begging me to listen and put down the gun. I was running on pure anger, betrayal and adrenaline, I shot them both. I gathered the things that I could, and left. I didn't bother with anything else."

The man looked down, his eyes showed nothing. "I'd been traveling around for over half a year now. I don't know where else to go. Everything I've done up until now was because I had someone assist me. I'm not sure whether these bastards will ever catch me. I know I won't be satisfied running my entire life. What if I settle down, and I get arrested? What if I have kids with that person, and then I'm suddenly in the slammer? What the fuck then? I can't support a partner and children behind damn metal bars. I can't. I'll slowly be losing my fucking mind wondering whether they're safe because of my mistakes and actions I've committed that have only put them in more trouble and danger. Nifa, god dammit, should I even be with another person? I'm a fucking murderer. They can get in a shit ton of trouble by just knowing who the hell I am. I don't want anyone, friend or lover to go through that because of my selfishness." 

"Lance." Nifa told him sternly. "No one knows their damn fate. No one knows where they end up in their life, I sure as hell didn't think I'd end up as a prostitute, but shit, we have to deal with what ever the fuck comes our way. I've never experienced love, you know that. A woman who sells her body like I do, with countless men, doesn't know a thing about love. I can make sexual jokes like it's nothing, but I can't tell you a damn thing about love. You can't talk about something you know nothing about. If you were with your future partner, and you had children, and then the police come and arrest you, or course you won't know what to do. But you'll know the moment you're faced with something difficult. It just hasn't happened yet."

Those words would come to be a massive impact on his life. He just didn't know it yet.

* * *

End of chapter 1


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that I was gone for so long. I had some unexpected things happen and I wanted to take some time and hash things out. I'll update my regret tomorrow or tonight. Thanks for understanding.

On the run

Chapter 2

* * *

It doesn't matter how much someone loves you, not really, because they always will. Well, this is intentionally what Levi thought. Now sleeping with a prostitute on a daily basis made him...caring and loving again. He didn't know what it was that Nifa did to make him this way again. But god dammit, this woman was more than likely planning something.

"Tell me more about yourself, Lance."

Knew it. Levi looked down at the woman who was resting on his chest. They'd barely finished their nightly romps and were now in that more talking time. Something that the raven found out Nifa actually liked. "Why do you want to know more about me?"

"Well, I'm sleeping with you every night, I thought I should know more about the person whose fucking me."

"I suppose. What is it you want to know?" He didn't realize he was gently stroking her hair.

"Where are you from?"

"Paris France."

"What did you parents do for a living?"

"My father was an alcoholic business man and my mother a school teacher."

"Do you still talk with your parents?"

"Both are dead."

"What happened...if you don't mind me asking."

Levi sighed softly, "My father owed the wrong people favors, and we were in debt a good majority of the time. My mother tried to do everything that she could, but it was never able to make ends meet. I couldn't do anything since my mother forbid me from working with someone and something that got my father into such a mess. I still remember that day clearly, mother and father were packing our bags, sold all the furniture, told me not to be sad that maybe we would see each other again. That day was the only day my father wasn't drunk nor on drugs. He gave me a necklace he and my mother bought for me, dropped me off at an orphanage, told me to be good, and left. I found out years later, the reason they dropped me off, was because they were killed not too long after."

Nifa slowly nodded, rubbing soothing circles on the man's chest, "Are you grateful that they did that and gave you a chance at life?"

"Sometimes I am."

"Why only sometimes and not all the time?"

"Because life can give me good times; the best times really. Yet, it can also bite me in the ass."

"But isn't life like that for everyone? Can't have your good without your bad. Everyone's got their fair share of good and bad times, Lance. You're not the only one to have experienced something fantastic and horrid."

"Even with the murder of two people on my hands?"

"Even with that. Because when it comes down to it, you're just as human as everyone else."

He knew Nifa would be someone to change his life, both bad and good. He just didn't know this time would be the closest thing to him caring for someone again.

* * *

Levi was sitting at a bar one night; he wasn't able to see Nifa all day since the strip club was packed, and she'd given the raven the night off. So, he thought he should go and get drinks half of what they're really worth. And maybe listen to a story over a glass of whiskey and a smoke.

The raven was seated with some old man who had been taking shots, but surprisingly his words didn't slur yet. He idly caught the name, Pixis. Supposedly the old bastard used to be in the military before being kicked out for consuming too much alcohol.

"So, as I was saying, Lance, I'd been dodging bullets for a very long time, only to suddenly have that life ripped away from me. I joined the military when I was twenty and was kicked out at sixty. Apparently, they didn't appreciate a drunk commander a good majority of the time. I still the things I was required to do. You ever been in the military, Lance?"

Levi nodded, "I was in the military for several years."

"What was your rank?"

"I was captain and had my own squad."

"They let you hand pick your team mates or did they force morons on you."

This old man wasn't bad. "No. I got to hand pick them. No one dared to second guess my judgement."

"Hmm, what made them scared of you?"

"I'm a clean freak."

The man broke out laughing. "Ah, so they didn't want to clean that shitty headquarters?"

Levi nodded, sipping his whiskey. "That place needs a fucking cleaning. But, oh well, not my problem anymore."

Pixis grinned, "I don't think it was anyone's problem since it was always so filthy. But, then again, it wasn't like anyone really bothered, what with trying to stay alive and all."

"I suppose so." He pulled out a cigarette and lit it, taking a drag, slowly blowing out the cancerous smog.

"Tell me, Lance. Did you ever lose someone in the military?"

The raven stopped for a moment, then slowly lowered his cigarette to the ashtray, tapping it gently on the rim, letting some ashes fall, "I have."

"If you don't mind me asking, who?"

"My half brother, Rivaille."

"What did he die of?"

Levi was silent for a moment as he thought back to that day, one he could never forget in his entire existence. That moment in which he felt nothing but pain and sorrow.

* * *

The raven ran over to his fallen brother as the shooting finally ceased. He knelt down by Rivaille and carefully took his brother in his arms. "Rivaille, brother, can you hear me?"

Rivaille slowly opened his eyes, they showed pain, exhaustion and something else Levi couldn't quiet pinpoint. "Hey, brother..." He weakly croaked out.

"Don't talk, I'm getting you help. You'll get better in no time."

Shaking his head, the younger raven stared up into the hazy grey sky. "There's not much that can be done for me anymore, Levi. I'm dying as we speak."

Trembling subtly, the man softly whispered, "You can't...you promised..." Those words didn't reach his brother's ears.

Rivaille carefully removed his hand from his wound, staring at the gaping hole in his mid section, seeing blood cake his normally pale skin. "You know, I-I used to think I-I was invincible. D-Didn't think anything c-could hurt me t-the moment I-I got into the m-military." He grit his teeth together, fighting back the urge to cry out in immense pain. "J-Just makes you realize h-how fragile of h-human beings w-we are."

"Don't talk like that! You're going to get better or damn me to hell! I won't let you die like this!"

Fondly glancing up at the pain stricken raven, Rivaille lifted up his blood soaked hand and placed it on Levi's once clean cheek which was now smeared in his blood. Their blood, the blood that made them brothers. "Don't be sad, b-brother. This will n-not be t-the last t-time we s-see each o-other." He coughed out blood, the red substance sliding down his dirt covered cheek, "I-I promise w-we will m-meet again. W-We might n-not be a-able to t-talk in r-real life again." He swallowed thickly, trying to get air to his screaming lungs, "B-But, know this. I-I will a-always treasure t-the time t-that w-we had t-together. I-I love y-you, b-brother. M-Mon c-corbeau." Staring into the tear filled eyes of the person he cared about the most in his life, he took his last breath, slowly going limp in the other's arms.

Levi couldn't think, couldn't move, couldn't _breathe_. The person, one who he would lay his life down for, was nothing but a cold, blood soaked corpse in his arms. He refused to let go of the cold body, fooling himself into thinking it was actually still functioning, still warm, _still alive_. They say, there's one person in this entire world who can make your world come crashing within an instant, Levi know believed it was true. Throwing his head back, he let out a pain filled scream.

* * *

All the soldiers around him stood there in awe, watching their normally stoic captain lose his composure. Many of them had tears running down their cheeks as they watched, some wanted to comfort him, but others told them, this was something their captain had to overcome himself.

"They said my brother died because he was hit with the aftermath of an explosion, and there was a large gun shot wound in his mid section. One of the two would have killed him if he lived. Doctors say he wouldn't have lived long if he was hospitalized."

The old man placed a comforting hand on the raven's shoulder, "How were you after that?"

Levi puffed out more smoke. He wasn't himself after that. He went on leave for sometime since he lost his only family in the military. The man would go about his day, people oblivious to the hell he was going through on the inside. Levi's heard from countless people that the rain can make you more depressed, he can completely disagree. He feels like the sun is what really gets to you on such unfortunate moments. The sun shows bright, happiness emotions, reflecting the very feelings you can't bring yourself to feel. Sure, you can walk outside in the sun, but it's nothing compared to the depths of hell you feel inside. If anything, the sun shows how happy others are, while you are down in the dumps, fighting to not give in.

"I wasn't myself. I felt like I was lonely, needed some time for myself to think things through and within time, I was able to function again."

"You still haven't gotten over it. Your eyes can't lie."

Levi let out a small bitter laugh. "You're an observant old man."

"So I've been told..."

* * *

Levi idly walked home after he finished drinking in the bar. Pixis had helped him with some closure on the situation with his brother. There had been years that he spent grieving on something he could never quite get passed.

"Hey, Lance, right?"

The raven stopped in his tracks and turned to his left, seeing a blonde with icy blue eyes stare at him. "What?"

The blonde grinned, "I saw you at the bar, and I feel like I can trust you and help you."

"And what the hell do you think you can help me with?"

"You're on the run and need some help to not get caught."

Steel grey eyes widened, "How did you-"

"I'm not as dense and oblivious as everyone else."

Levi stared at the blonde for a moment, "Wait, you're Farlan Chruch. You're a wanted criminal for murder."

Farlan sighed, "More like I'm wanted for killing someone in order to protect myself. But, eh, whatever gathers more attention to put me behind bars for something that was more so protection than anything."

"Why do you want to help me?"

"We can help each other not get caught."

"And how do I know that you really won't just turn me in."

"I'd get caught in the process as well. Besides, I'd never betray someone like that."

Levi just kept staring at him.

"If you want, you can come to my house and we can talk this through."

The raven was about to shake his head when the blonde spoke again. "I won't hurt you or try anything. You'd kick my ass in an instant."

Hmm, so he wasn't as stupid as he looked.

"Alright, I'll go. Lead the way."

Grinning, Farlan lead the raven to his small home on the edge of town.

* * *

Levi sipped his tea, sighing softly at the soothing warm liquid sliding down his throat. It had been a while since he had tea, even if this one was a shitty brand.

"So, Lance, how long have you been on the run?"

"Six months. You?"

"Two years."

"I heard about you on the news one day before work."

"So did I. Say..."

"What?"

"Would you rather I call you Lance or Levi?"

"Lance would be just fine, it would still help conceal who I am."

"Alright. Just wanted to make sure."

"Don't get too comfortable with me being around so much. I'm only here until the end of the month then I'm leaving."

"And I'll be joining you."

"Why?"

"You know, one can't stay in one place for too long. There will be a chance that you'll get caught."

"Fine. Just don't slow me down."

"I won't. Promise."

"So, Church, tell me, how did shit really go down with that murder?"

"It was, obviously two years ago, and my dad was a drug dealer. My mom had left when I was a kid, so I don't remember her for shit. So, anyway, my dad had fucking weird people coming and going in our house. I remember when I sometimes had to stay in our attic to not smell all that weed, coke and whatever the fuck else they were getting hopped up on. My dad would beat the shit out of me when something didn't go his way, which was often enough that I had to go to the free clinic. I could have reported him for child abuse, but that would mean I would be killed before I could truly feel safe. I was an only kid, so, I couldn't rely on someone else, and it didn't help that I was anti-social as a kid either."

The blonde downed the rest of his whiskey and poured himself another glass, "Anyway, there was one particular day when I was nineteen that my dad was really off. Apparently, I was dating the girl he had been seeing for weeks behind my back. Hell, I didn't know a good looking girl like her would be with a drug dealer addict. My dad was fucking pissed the second he found out, began calling me the reason he couldn't be happy, his worst mistake, all that shit parents say to get you down when they don't give a shit whatsoever. He was throwing shit at me, vases, cushions, books, whatever he could get his hands on, he tossed my way. It wasn't until he started choking me on the floor that I finally did something. I knew he kept a knife under the couch, I got it, and stabbed his head repeatedly. After he was completely dead, I took all the cautions. Cleaned everything up in the house, cleaned up all the blood off me and him, washed the clothes, and then I got my things and left. I got out a million dollars and took it with me. I've been running for two years, and people still think I murdered him solely because I hated him."

Levi slowly nodded, "And have you ever wanted to tell someone about everything that happened?"

"I wanted to. But all his bastard accomplices took everything out of there and made the place completely spotlesss. There's nothing in there that would work in my favor."

"Hmm..." The raven tapped his chin with his index finger. "Was there anyone else you knew who could help you?"

"There was. But, he went into hiding too. I don't know where he is now."

"Did you ever want to find him?"

"I did. But, I didn't think I could."

"You might have not been able to, but we can."

Icy blue eyes widened, "What do you mean we?"

"I mean, I'll help you. It'd be a fitting way to help you since you're helping me."

Farlan gave him a small faint smile. "Thanks, Lance. I really appreiciate it."

"Of course."

'Hey, Lance?"

"Yeah?"

"I want to help you in the same way you are me."

"How can you? I murdered my former wife and friend. There's no help for me."

"It's better that we give it some effort than none at all. Besides, we might get something."

"Maybe. I doubt it. My situation is something that can't be so easily fixed."

"You never know."

"True. You've a point there."

"Somehow I always do."

* * *

After deciding to settle in Farlan's house for the night, not really feeling like going back to his shitty hotel room, Levi stared up at the pale ceiling and thought to himself.

_'How can I know that Farlan won't be someone who will betray me in the future. But, it might be welcoming to have someone to talk to on the road. This damn blonde might help me in a situation where I would have given up.'_

Levi sighed as he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

Nifa grinned as she was talking with Nile. "That bastard really thinks I'll keep his secret and safe."

The man smirked, "You did good, Nifa. You're worth something more than opening your legs."

"That's my specialty. That and manipulating men into telling me what I want to know." She grabbed a small recorder from under her mattress. "This has everything you need to know. Now, I suspect you're keeping your end of the deal that we made?"

"Oh absolutely. You helped me out in a way that most people cannot. You're putting a criminal behind bars."

"I better get that money, or..." She ran her hand up and down the man's chest, "You'll be the one to pay."

Nile stared down at her, "You'll get what you want. I need to corner that bastard first."

"Trust me, you will now."

* * *

Levi's eyes widened as he listened in on the conversation between Nifa and Nile. That red head only wanted him to get what she wanted. He should have known that whore would have done something.

The raven's fists clenched as he rushed to his hotel room, grabbing his things and paying the owner. Rapidly knowcking onto Farlan's bedroom door, he waited for a moment as the blonde opened the door. Farlan's golden hair ruffled, and eyes tired, "Lance? What's wrong?"

"We need to get out of here. Now."

"Why?"

"Nifa fucked me over. She told someone I was here and we'll be found by morning if we don't leave now."

The blonde nodded as the two got the things they needed and took whatever they could that would prove useful and left the house. Levi managed to find a car for them, stolen of course, and drove down the dirt road. Listening to a song by Frank Sinatra quitely idly playing as they drove to devil knows where.

* * *

End of Chapter 2


	3. Chapter 3

On the run

Chapter 3

* * *

The soothing sound of the wind blowing, music by Johnny Cash going, the deep inhales of Farlan's breathing as he slept certainly made this cigarette between Levi's fingers most enjoyable.

Smoke drifted along the wind, very much like Levi's thoughts were. Three days, three days since he left the small town of Trost, and the woman he wanted to elope with, Nifa.

You can say whatever the hell you want about his thoughts on that matter, he would have done it despite anyone's protests. He had heard the old saying, a man's wish is to marry a prostitute, and that wish will go to hell with him when he realizes that woman was only there to fuel the loneliness he felt at the moment. Hmph, what a fucking idiot he had been.

He wasn't quite sure what spurred him on to go to the strip club that last moment. But, gods, did he thank himself for that now. He found out that red headed woman would have been his demise had he gone through with his original plan.

Levi heard through the radio earlier that the police searched the town he had stayed at that very morning. They found no trace of where he was headed, and Nifa couldn't tell them anything because she knew nothing. Nile was there and talked about how he had manipulated this woman and threatened her if she so much as let out a single word. Bastards. The both of them. They were the ones that fucked with his mind, made him trust them only to stab him in the back in the end.

The raven grit his teeth. How dare they add to that false reputation of him being a manipulator? He was no such thing. They just simply wanted to pile on more lies than there already were.

"You'll break your teeth that way."

Levi turned his gaze to the drowsy blonde beside him. "That coming from the blonde who used to chew tobacco a few days ago. That shit would have fucking rotted your teeth."

Farlan held his hands up in defense. He sat up slightly, leaning his elbow on the rim of the window, "Where are we?"

"Three days away from some place called Lumaira."

"Lumaria, huh? I've been to the place before. Real nice, but it kinda gives off that Gothic and scholarly feel."

"Does it?"

"Yeah. Scholars, writers, artists, all those people who are fucking intelligent go there. Apparently the place is a gold mine for knowledge and creativity."

Levi took a drag of his cigarette. "Well shit, maybe we can blend in rather well."

The blonde raised a brow, "How?"

"I used to be a doctor. Weren't you, ah..." Levi thought back for a moment, "That's right, you used to be librarian, right?"

"Yeah. But how does that...?" It then clicked to the blonde, "You smart mother fucker. No one would suspect people who have such a common job in Lumaira. Besides, the place is fucking huge. They'll be looking for months before they can even find us."

"Exactly." Levi then threw the butt of the cigarette out of the window. He turned the keys in the ignition and started up their car.

"Levi, man, you sure you don't want me to drive? You look like you're about to fucking collapse on me there. I like you, but not enough that I'd let you get us killed."

"You know the way to Lumaria?"

"Yeah. Instead of two days, I can get us there by tomorrow afternoon."

"Fuck it, go right the fuck ahead." Levi got out from the driver's seat and hopped in the back, laying down.

Farlan grinned as he took the wheel. He put on his seat belt, turned up the radio as music from the 60's came on.

* * *

When Levi woke up again, he heard the immediate sound of feet pounding on pavement, people haggling for a better price on whatever the hell they were purchasing, merchants shouting they had the best of the best products, and civilians talking about their own matters with others.

The raven sat up, rubbing his left eye as he looked out the window. Everything definitely did look different from your modern society. Kinda gave off one of those renaissance era feels to him. Women were in dresses, men in loose yet casual clothing, the children practically mimicked the clothing there as well. He jumped slightly as a very tall building began chiming.

"Did the Churning mists scare ya?"

Levi looked at the blonde in the front. "The what?"

Farlan glanced back at him. "The churning mists. It's one of the oldest churches here in Lumaria. Took over one hundred and fifty years to build the son of a bitch."

Looking at the immense design of the tall building, Levi could see why it took so long. That thing was fucking huge. There was so much detail, people engraved in the stone, jewels, some of which he'd never seen before, the thing that mainly caught his eye, was the fucking wings that spread out at the ends of the church. They appeared to be dragon wings, the skeletal figure was unmistakable. "What's fanning out on the sides of it?"

"Those my friend, are supposedly angel wings, kinda looks more like a dragon, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Those are inspired by the angel Gridania who once lived here a long time ago. Legend has it that that angel was the one who bestowed the idea to the creator of the building. No one really knows for sure, but the angel Gridania does have a statue built in the very entrance of the church."

"How tall is that thing?"

"About sixty meters tall. It got the name Churning Mists because you could fucking literally see all the clouds covering all of Lumaria."

"When did we get here by the way?"

"About three hours ago."

"Why the hell didn't you wake me up?"

"You would fucking bitch at me to get you to a place so you can shower is why."

"Touche."

"Anyway, I got a place to stay at. A good friend of mine is putting us up."

"Who?"

"Her name's Isabel. Which reminds me, you come up with a fake name for yourself? Can't exactly go around giving everyone your real name."

"It's Lance Stohess. Yours?"

"Even Trost."

"Sounds convincing enough."

"You gonna look for work right off the get go or take the rest of the week off?"

"I need to find a medical practice soon and hopefully we can get some more money. How about yourself?"

"There's this library near where Isabel lives, it's called Cogitare. Heard it's an old book store no one really goes to, but hell, I heard the dude that works there mainly reads all the old books and shit. Simple job really."

"How much do you get paid?"

"About twenty bucks. Only scholars come in, apparently something about those books being fucking gold compared to the newer ones they have in most bookstores."

"You know of any medical practices around here? I think it would be better if you told me where they are then me getting lost in this place."

Farlan tapped his chin with his index finger, "Hmm, I know there's one ran by this Nanaba person, and her husband I think? Umm, Isabel mentioned there was this place that was looking for another doctor...Mor Dhona, I think. Place is pretty new and the only people who work there are nurses. So, if you want a good chance at being hired, I'd try there first."

Levi nodded, "Now, who's Isabel?"

The blonde grinned, "She's this fucking cute red head who's helpful as shit. She's helped me out the entire time I've been on the run. I told her about you and she wants to meet ya. Says she'll help any way she can. She'll even put a good word at whatever doctor's office you wanna work at."

"She sounds like an amazing woman."

"That she is. Come on, let's walk around for a while, get you antiquated to this place."

* * *

Walking through town, seeing all the dark, tall buildings certainly did give this place a picture that suited it's reputation. There appeared to be so much life in this otherwise Gothic and historical looking city.

"Farlan."

"Yeah?"

"How big is Lumaria?"

"Hmm, think of it this way, put Shinganshina, Trost, Rose and Stohess together. That's how big this place is."

Levi's eyes widened, "This place is that fucking big?"

"Oh yeah."

"So, this city has three million people?"

"That's right. And the proper name for this place is city state."

"City state, got it."

They stopped to have something to eat. Farlan went to get them something while Levi went and looked at an impressive water fountain. There was a floating and rotating sphere, a blue light shining from it, water falling from the indents.

"The holy sea of Ishgard."

Levi turned around as Farlan handed him some food. "The name, I'm guessing?"

The blonde nodded, "It is one of the most sophisticated and mystical structures in the entire city state. No one knows what makes it hover above ground or how it's even turning without support of some kind. Scientists and Architects have proven that there is no steel or metal support whatsoever, giving it quite the mysterious background. Even more so because no one knows who made it, or what material they used to make the fountain emit that light. Some think it's magic, others think it's lights within the concrete, but who can say for sure?"

"This place sure is strange."

"The main reason why you seem to fit in."

"Fuck off."

* * *

"So, you're Levi, huh? Farlan here has told me all about you. Right down to that grumpy attitude of yours."

The raven glared up at the blonde before turning his gaze back to the red head. "Yeah, this bastard pretty much got my entire personality down."

Isabel grinned, "Nice to meet ya, Levi."

"He told you my real name?"

"You think I would fall for the name Lance Stohess? You don't look like it for shit."

Levi let out a small chuckle, "You do look like the type to be easily deceived."

The three were sitting around the small table in the girl's kitchen. They were, mainly Levi and Isabel, getting to know each other. The redhead and blonde were simply telling the other how they'd been since the last time they'd seen each other.

Isabel set down her cup of hot chocolate, "So, Levi tell me, what's making you a wanted criminal?"

Levi glanced up from his tea cup, "Farlan didn't tell you?"

"Nope. Said it was best to hear it from you."

The man sighed, "I murdered my wife and best friend because they were having an affair behind my back for god knows how long."

"Damn, that's gotta be rough. How do you think things would have gone if you hadn't murdered them?"

"Isabel, I can't force myself to believe in what if's. That's simply a magical little word to get your hopes up to something that will more than likely never happen. Of course, you can be neutral about them, nothing wrong about that. But you have to accept bad or good results, whichever come your way first."

"Farlan said something about you being more so a writer than a doctor. You have that persona that can easily tell so much with very little."

"Well I wouldn't know about that. I more so see myself staying in the medical profession rather than agonizing over one simple grammar error."

Isabel shrugged, "Just a suggestion."

A suggestion Levi himself was highly interested in.

* * *

_ I can't tell you the last time I've written in this shitty thing. Petra told me it was better you wrote down all your emotions on paper, apparently they can help you reflect on things currently going on or getting over the past. _

_A large amount of unbelievable events have occurred since that day. I met some man named Farlan Church, was about to marry some worthless stripper, Nifa, met a red head who apparently helped wanted fugitives, and had a heart to heart with an old man who was dismissed from the military. If I could only tell Petra and Erwin these stories, I'm certain they would both get some tea, turn out all the lights except for the lamp in the living room, sit around the coffee table and talk like we used to._

_I cannot begin to tell you how much regret I feel for taking their lives so...so savagely like that. Everything could have ended in a much more civilized matter, one I admit to myself right now, wouldn't have been so civilized with my short temper, or how my former wife liked to call it, the attitude of a firework._

_Things used to be so simple back then, wake up with Petra in my arms, kiss her forehead good morning as she kept sleeping, shower and then prepare breakfast for her because I knew she worked hard at the hospital yesterday. I would smile as she came down, hair still a mess from sleep, rubbing her gorgeous honey eyes, still in one of my old night shirts she insisted on wearing, apparently it was a perfect and a loose fitting one on her slender figure; not that I was against her wearing my clothing, she looked beautiful in them. I remember the surprised look in her eyes when she saw me cooking for us both, I remember when she tried to make the food herself and make me sit down, I told her I had it and that she was the one who deserved to relax._

_Petra was a very caring woman and a fantastic wife. I felt euphoria every single time she told me she loved me. The days of hard work were nothing the moment I saw her smile at me, welcoming me home, her bangs clipped to the side with her white hair clips, the one she got as a child, the ones she loved to wear. I remember she had her white apron and pink slippers on as she came to greet me, leaving dinner on a low flame so she could hug me and kiss me to welcome me, her husband, the love of her life, home._

_I remember everything about her so clearly, the memories still plague me even after months I dirtied my hands with her blood, her tears that were smeared and mixed along with blood._

_But do you know what I regret the most? I killed my wife and my unborn child. It was confirmed mine and not Erwin's. Petra said she was going to stop sleeping with him after that last time, or that's what Rico told me when she inspected the body of my dead wife. She was the one to tell me that they always used protection. Erwin wanted that child to be his, but Petra always refused. She said she wanted to give me that happiness of holding a child in my arms nine months from that time._

_Well Petra, nine months have gone by, and I don't have you nor our child in my arms. Do you know the large amount of hate I have for myself? You always told me I was too hard on my persona, that I should learn to accept who I am, you accepted who I was and learned to love that person I couldn't stand. Everything about you screamed perfection in my eyes, and even as your cold body lay in soiled sheets, I still think you were the most beautiful woman in the world._

_No matter how much I want to hate you for what you did, betrayed my trust, slept with my best friend behind my back, disrespected me and our marriage, broke my heart, ripped it out and had it in the palm of your hands, I love you with every fucking fiber of my being. Even if I hadn't killed you, even if that baby didn't turn out to be mine, even if we got a divorce, even if you married Erwin, even if you walked out of my life, all those if's I can't bother to name, I still would have loved you with this unrelenting passion I feel everyday...one that is accompanied by sorrow._

_I wish I could repeat time itself and go back and find out what made you run into that man's arms, I gladly would. I would do anything to prevent that event from happening. Where is that picture perfect ending we talked about having back when we got engaged? Where is it, huh? Where?_

_If there's one thing I never regretted, it was marrying you._

_Petra, I love you._

Levi sighed as he set down his pen on top of the now filled up page of writing. There were so many unsaid emotions and words the man never got to tell his dead wife and friend.

And just as he mentioned in his writing, he wished there was something that he could do to go back in time and see what he did wrong. But life doesn't work that way. While we may commit so many wrong doings, there is never a back button. Once you hit enter, nothing can be done after that. You either accept the good results or the horrid consequences.

You know, Levi thinks life is like a clock. Time moves forward when you don't want it to, and it slows down when you desperately wish for it to move. Each time the hour hand strikes a new time, something either bad or good happens, he can't say for sure. The chime when it hits midnight, is merely a wake up call. Say what you will about life, call it hell or heaven, you can't really tell until you take your last breath.

* * *

End of chapter 3


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, I meant to take a hiatus, but my boyfriend was such a great inspiration, I ended up writing this in only two days. Check out his tumblr at junior-am and say a thank you from me. I hope you enjoy the chapter!

On the run

Chapter 4

* * *

Say what you will about moving to a new place and seeing new faces, things like that are difficult.

Levi walked around Lumaria with a sheet of paper in his hands, it was directions to the medical practice named Mor Dhona. The redhead had called ahead of time and put in a good word about Lance Stohess.

While he was trying to find the damn place, Farlan let him know that he talked with his former boss and got his old job back at Cogitare, the library he once worked at.

The raven stopped in front of a small building wedged between a supermarket and a laundromat. The place was fairly small, could possibly be mistaken for something else and not a doctor's office, but then he noticed it was near some alley's; more than likely where gangs often fought and came to this place.

Taking a silent deep breath, Levi stepped through the door and made his way to the main desk. There he saw a blonde female with a very boyish looking haircut.

"Excuse me?"

The blonde looked up at him, completely bored. "Yes, can I help you?"

"Yes, I'm coming here about the open doctor's position that's available here, and I was wondering if I could apply here?"

She nodded, getting up from her comfortable place on her chair and walked over to the shelf in the corner, "What made you develop some sort of interest in this place? People usually don't come here for a job unless they absolutely have to."

The raven chuckled, "I've just moved here recently and I was currently searching for an open medical position, and I happened to overhear some people in the town who were talking about this place looking for a doctor."

"Understandable. My name is Nanaba by the way. I'm one of the nurses and secretaries here." The blonde turned around, a form in her left hand while she held out her right for him to shake.

Levi took the offered hand and shook it, "Lance Stohess. It's a pleasure to meet you, Nanaba."

Nanaba gave him the form after she pulled back her hand, "You can fill that out in the waiting room here or you can take that home and bring it in at your most convenient hour."

"I'll fill this out here, if that's no trouble at all."

"Of course not. Pens are on the counter at the front desk, please, take your time to fill out the form. Inform me when you're done and I'll be sure to give the doctor your form and he and I will look it over within the next upcoming days."

Levi thanked the blonde woman, going over and grabbing a pen, taking a seat in the waiting room, filling out his form on a nearby table.

* * *

"You know, I heard that Levi Ackerman guy was over in Trost just a couple days ago."

Farlan's ears perked at the mention of his new friend's name. He better make sure those men who were talking, not too quietly, might he add, and make sure they didn't know any vital information that the media knew of.

"Yeah? I heard on the news that some guys in a certain strip club said he wanted to marry a prostitute there."

"Its true. But the girl pulled a fast one on him. Called the cops on him while he was sleeping or something just to get the reward money. I bet you she would have called them still even if they tied the knot."

"Don't doubt it. That's guy's got a lot of money out for his arrest. I don't blame that prostitute for wanting all that money."

While those men moved onto less interesting topics, Farlan sat behind the counter of the library letting the information he just learned sink in.

Nifa was a cunning woman who did absolutely anything for money; hell, she slept with people for a living, so that didn't surprise him much.

Had he not said anything to Levi about not marrying her, he knew that the raven would have gone through with it within a heartbeat.

But why her?

Was it to simply fill in the space that Petra had left after her death?

To cope with the loneliness and guilt that Levi felt knowing he murdered his wife?

Farlan wouldn't really ever know. His friend was someone who tended to like to keep everything to himself honestly; that was something that the blonde had found out simply being around the other male for the first several days.

Levi was a smart man, he knew exactly what kind of person Nifa was, so why was he even thinking of marrying her? Was there something there in her that the raven saw that Farlan couldn't or didn't want to see?

...Or was there another motive?

* * *

"So, your friend Levi wanted to marry some whore from a whore house?"

The blonde wasn't surprised when Isabel brought that up in their private conversation.

Levi was still out doing who knows what, so they were alright to have this talk while the other male was out of the house for the time being.

Farlan set down his coffee mug, "Yeah. I'm gonna assume that you heard about this on the news today?"

The red head nodded, "Of course. Nothing about your friend is private anymore. They know he was the one who murdered his wife and best friend, was in Trost a couple of days ago, almost married a whore there, and is now somewhere out there looking for a place to hide."

"Do they have any whereabouts on his location?" If they did, he and Levi would have to leave this city and relocate.

Isabel shook her head, "No, they don't know anything based on where he is right now. They don't even know that there is another criminal with him." Her green eyes darkened when she addressed the blonde as a criminal.

Farlan cleared his throat uncomfortably, "Yes, well, its good that they have no idea that there is someone else there with him. I was worried that they might trace something back here."

"There's absolutely nothing leading to this location whatsoever. They think that you two might have hightailed it to Maria, Rose, or Shinganshina, you know, those small towns with nothing else to do except be forgotten towns in the people's minds. Somehow, near forgotten towns seem to be the main target for where people on the run go to."

She shrugged her shoulders, still rhythmically stirring the stew she had going on the stove, "The media seem to think that your friend is one of those morons who head for those places, kinda like those cliche movies, and think their safe spot is there."

Isabel then stopped moving the spoon, slowly taking it out of the pot and setting it on the counter, a small puddle of the broth forming, "But what they don't know is that those criminals can eventually form normal lives and can look like they never did a single thing and get themselves involved in other people's lives. People who are simply wanting to go about their lives on their own normal basis, a schedule they were finally comfortable with, and then they come in, and pose as those who are simple average Joe's, eventually, you find out they fucking murdered someone and who knows? Maybe they might murder you next when you're least expecting it if you get them mad enough."

"Isabel-" There was no use. When she got started like this, there was nothing that he could do except wait.

"Eventually, that person can be the one you fall in love with." Her voice slightly wavered as she said the last four words.

Farlan lowered his head, his eyes closing painfully, the heaviness of what he had done crashing back into him.

"You think that person is a good man, he's shown you that he is, and you think that this person, this person." She lightly gestured towards the blonde, "Is the one for you. Then you hear on the goddamn news, he actually murdered someone, _his own father_ , and now you're scared that if you get into one argument, one really bad one, the news will be reporting another murder that he committed."

"I would kill myself before ever hurting you."

Isabel glanced over her shoulder to him, her green eyes glistening in tears, "You didn't have to hurt me physically to make it hurt. You hurt me enough emotionally, that it felt like it was physical." She turned off the pot and removed her apron.

"Bella-" He was cut off by her harsh reply.

" _Don't call me that_." She then took a deep breath to regain some of her composure, "I'm only letting you stay because of your friend. He needs a place to stay and some time to think. I'm not doing this because I want you around, I'm simply helping a hurt man who I know is actually good." She narrowed her eyes, "But if you dare do anything as to get near me again like that, I'll throw you both out and report your asses, do you understand me?"

The blonde nodded, lifting up his head, icy blue meeting green, "I promise. I'll keep my distance and make sure that nothing happens. Once me and Lance find some place else to go, we'll let you know and be out of your way."

"Good." She then looked over at the clock, "You might want to go find Lance. It's getting late and the patrol is going to be out soon. Find him and hall your ass back here fast."

Farlan got up from seat, grabbed his jacket, and left the house, hearing the red head's sobs as he went down the block.

* * *

"You look like you're running from something."

Levi's attention was immediately caught by a brunette woman addressing him.

She sat beside him, cradling her own drink in her left hand, her brown eyes looking at him intently, as if trying to decipher who this man was.

Apparently word got out fast when someone new arrived despite the size of the city. Currently, Levi would be all the people talked about for several days.

The raven scoffed lightly into his glass, taking a sip from his alcohol, the beverage burning as it went down his throat, "And what makes you say that?"

"I dunno." She gently sloshed her wine in its glass around, the red alcohol not once spilling, "You just seem like the kind of man who wouldn't normally run away, but now had to."

"Before you start interrogating me, what's your name?"

The woman flashed him a small smile, "llse. And you're Lance Stohess, correct?"

_llse._ Why does he feel like he's heard that name before?

"Yeah. You heard my name from going around the city, right?"

"Right. So...what brings you here to a city like Lumaria?" She took a drink from her wine, her eyes still not leaving the male.

Levi shrugged, "Honestly, I don't know myself."

"Yes you do."

The raven turned his focus from his drink to the woman beside him, "And what makes you so sure of that?"

llse smiled, and it sent unpleasant chills down his spine, "Because you're the kind of man who knows where he truly wants to be. And being here right now, in Lumaria, was something that he never wanted to do. You had a life back where you came from, and you had a feeling that was where you would always stay."

"Stop-" But she kept going on.

"There were people there that you truly cared about. People you grew so accustomed to seeing on a daily basis, and seeing new faces and places here in this city is foreign to you. You had everything, if not more, back where you came from. I bet you had a special someone in your life." She pointed to his empty ring finger, "There's a slightly paler patch of skin there on your finger, meaning maybe you might have been married at one point, _no_ , _you were_."

"I said, stop."

The brunette continued to ignore him, "By the way that your eyes look, you haven't slept very much since you left. Maybe at best you're getting an hour or two of sleep. Aww, are nightmares beginning to get to you? I'm sure they are." She let out a small chuckle as she finished off the rest of her wine.

Levi wanted to snap at the woman, but she had called over the bartender to refill their drinks. If that man had seen him snap at her he would certainly involve himself, considering since they were both relatively quiet before they started talking, and that wouldn't definitely get his curiosity going.

When the bartender left, llse continued, "You look like you did something horrible to make you leave your home. My, oh, my, what could you have done? Cheated on your wife? Maybe that's what led to your divorce? Or, you could have gotten a divorce because you realized that your marriage had no more love behind it. That's what tends to happen to some marriages. Did you have some siblings and they began to spread some lies about your significant other cheating? You know, listening to those rumors are what tend to lead some marriages ending."

The raven simply sat there, fuming, as he listened to that woman ramble on. She was right about many things so far, and that honestly had him feeling very uneasy about this woman.

He and Petra did begin to have some marriage problems in their last year, and that was, as she said, because there were people spreading rumors that one of them were cheating on the other, and because of the anger and jealousy on his end, he confronted his wife, and practically drove her into Erwin's arms.

Levi did begin to think about marriage counseling, but then when he realized his wife was too distant from him, he then thought about divorce. And that only ended with a bullet in her head.

When the man turned to face llse, she had a big grin on her face. "What are you grinning about?"

"I'm right. You were thinking about ending things with your wife. But, my, how did you come to that...perhaps, there was someone else that you knew quite well. Maybe, a best friend of sorts, practically a brother in your eyes."

This woman was beginning to get on his nerves.

"I'm just curious...how did everything end. You could have gotten that divorce and moved here because you wanted a fresh start. Left because you saw what little was left of your marriage, and you're just now waiting for your wife to send you the papers...or maybe." She gave him an eerie smile, "Maybe you murdered them and are now a wanted criminal on the run."

_Oh, he is so fucked now._

"llse, who are you really?" He needed more insight on this woman so he could stop her before she was the reason he was put behind bars.

She let out a small laugh, going back to her wine, "Just a woman who happens to be here in this bar so late at night." She then finished her wine in one drink, gently setting down the glass. She gathered her things, paid for her drink, and turned her back on the man. "Oh, wait, before I forget, you might want to head off soon. The patrol will be around soon. And you wouldn't want that, now would you? _Levi Ackerman_."

llse winked at him before she left, leaving the raven stunned in his seat.

* * *

Isabel looked up from her phone when she heard someone come in her house; it was Farlan alone. "Where's your friend?"

The blonde sighed, brushing a hand through his hair, "I don't know. I couldn't find the moron. I heard the patrol will be through here in thirty minutes. If he doesn't hall his ass back soon, he'll get caught."

As if on queue, Levi walked through the doors.

Farlan and Isabel sighed in relief.

"I apologize for taking so long."

The red head got up and began to heat up the stove again, "Where have you been?"

Levi went over and sat down at the table after he removed his jacket, "I was just at a bar getting a drink."

Farlan and Isabel shared a quick look while the man was busy pouring himself a cup of tea.

The blonde would be sure to talk with his friend later and find out more based on where he was.

Dinner was relatively quiet after that.

* * *

"Why did you go to a bar today?"

"I just wanted some time to myself." Levi was currently in the bathroom shaving, and his blonde friend leaning against the doorway as they talked.

"Did you fill out the form for the position at the medical clinic?"

"Of course. We need money fast, and with another doctor there, maybe things might start to pick up at that place." He hoped so at least.

Farlan stared at his friend for a moment, "Something else happened that you're not telling me about."

Levi stopped shaving for a moment, the blade hovering from his throat, "And what exactly do you think I'm hiding?"

"You talked with someone today and now you're spooked."

Why did everyone he knows and or just met have to be so damn observant?

The raven sighed, "Fine. I talked with some woman and now I'm...scared...based on what she said."

Levi? Scared? Just what did this woman say?

"What did she tell you?"

"She was spot on about everything. How I murdered my best friend and wife, left the place I was comfortable living in, my failing marriage, the rumors, everything. And the only thing that I know about her is her name."

"What's her name?" Maybe the blonde might have heard of her.

"llse."

Farlan froze after hearing her name.

"Nifa's sister..."

Levi dropped the razor blade from his hand.

_"I have a sister named llse. She and I are close as can be. I tell her everything. If I mess up somehow, she's always there to get revenge for me."_

Nifa was a cunning woman for a reason.

She was the first one to make her move, and now, Levi and Farlan would have to make their's fast.

* * *

After Levi and Farlan stayed up most of the night planning their next move if llse did something, the raven received a call from the clinic that he had been hired.

Nanaba and Mike, the only doctor who was there aside from him, was also there to meet him.

When he was trying on his new doctor's coat, Levi noticed the stitching on his left breast pocket.

_Doctor Ackerman._

The raven quickly turned and saw the two blonde staring back at him.

"Welcome to Mor Dhona, Doctor Levi Ackerman."

Nifa and llse were certainly winning in this game now.

* * *

End of chapter 4.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know if you liked this, I'd really like to know what you guys think of this


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